rogers



(Nd Model.)

2 Sheets-Sheet .1. J. G. UPHAM & J. P. ROGERS.

ELEGTRIG RAILWAY SIGNAL. 7

Patented Feb. 12, 1884.

WITNESSES v ATTORNEYS.

i UNlT-FD Sra'rns Parent" nrion.

JAMES .OJUPHAM, or NORTH SYDNEY, AnDTJonN r. nocnns, or ELMSDALE,

NOVA SGOTIA, cannon.

ELECTRIC RAI LWAY-SIGNAL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 293,381, datedfFebruary 12, 1884:. Application filed March IZ, 1883. Renewed December 8, 1883. No model.)

To. all whom it may concern:

Be it known that WG,JAMES O. UPHAM, of North Sydney, in the county of Cape Breton, Province of Nova Scotia, and Dominion of Can- 5 ada, and JOHN 1?. ROGERS, of Elmsdale, in the county of Hants, Province of Nova Scotia, and Dominion of Canada, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric Railway-Signals, of which the following is a full,

IO clear, and exact description.

The object of our invention is to provide for giving signals upon railway-trains approaching each other within certain limits, so that the engineer of any one'train shall be I 5 notified in case there is another train at the front or rear within such limits. To that end we provide the road-bed with'electric conductors connected together to form blocks of any suitable length in addition to the rails,

2o which'are arranged as continuous conductors,

and upon the engines we provide batteries,

electric-signaling apparatus, and circuitclosmg devices, whereby the proper signals shall be g1ven at the time required. \Ve further 2 provide devices for reversingthe batteries,

. o drawings, forming part of this specification, in

which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a diagram representing the axle of the locomotive and the arrangement of the 5 signaling devices and reversing mechanism upon the locomotive. Fig. 2 is a side view of the circuit-closing device on the locomotive.

Fig. 3 is a detail view, showing the arrangement of the conductors in the road-bed. Figs.

4 and time diagram views, illustrating the track and electric conductors and the working of the apparatus in different positions of the trains.

A B in Figs. 1, 4t, are the rails of the track,

arranged to serve as continuous electric conductors, and between these are the electric conductorsc d, which are insulated from the supporting-ties ofthe rails.

ors may be wires. or metal rods, or they'may be of strap metal. WVhen of wire theymay be supported by strips h of wood, as shown in ;end of an arm bearing upon the conductors.

These conduct.

Fig. 8, and the wood will in that case be formed with a rounded top, and provided with a groove containing some insulating material, on which the wire will be placed and fastened by staples, as shown at t. The under part of the wooden support is hollow, so that in case of rain there will be no wet surfaces between the conductor and the supporting-legs j, which have their upper ends screwed into the wooden 6o strip, and their lower ends fastened to the sleepers, as shown. The wood may be tarred or painted, and the hole for the leg j may be filled with some insulating material before it is inserted, so as to preserve the insulation. At certain intervals, which may be any distance desired, the continuity of the separate conductors 0 and (Z is broken, and they are connected by cross-connections 0. These crosspieces should be of heavy insulated wire, of wrought or strap metal, and to secure them from injury they may be laid beneath the surface of the ballast. Each engine carries a battery or other source of electric power, (repre- I ,sented at E in Fig. 1,) also two electro-mag- 7'5" netic signaling-instruments, WV and W and the instrument W is provided with an attach-. ment for giving a special additional signal when acted upon by the combined power of the batteries. There is also upon the engine :an arrangement for making contact with the conductors c d. This may be either a sliding contact pressed down by a spring, or it may be a rolling or wheel .contact by a wheel upon the 5 In Figs. 1 and 2f f are contact devices, made in the form of paddle-wheels, the edges of the paddles being'inade somewhat sharp, so as to cut through anylight covering of snow, ice, or dust. The wheels are supported by frames S, which are hinged at f to and insulated from upper frames, R. In addition to the paddlewheels, brushes may be used.

The signaling-instruments may be of any ordinary character such as vibrating alarm- 5 bells-and, if desired, there maybe a visual signal in connection with them in the form of an index.

The batteries should be of a character togive a currentof considerable quantity at a :00 low potential,so as to workthesignals with a good degree of force and lessen the tendency For this purpose, in connection with each bat-- tery there is to be a reversing-switch of any suitable construction. At T'in Fig. 1 is shown such a'switch of simple construction.

a b are two metal strips, connected by a bar, a, of insulating material. 2' 13 are two buttons, and 7c is a plate with which the arms a I) make contact. The buttons are permanently connected to each other and to one of the segments of the are u 1), while the plate is is connected to the other conductor. This reversing-switch is to be moved only when the engine is turned upon a turn-tablethat is to say, the switch must be reversed only when the heading-direction of the engine is changed, not the runningdirection, in order that the zinc pole may re main in connection with the conductor 0. There is also upon each engine an arrangement by which the position of the batteries is changed simultaneously with any change in the running-direction of the engine, (this arrangement is shown in Fig. 1,) so that the change is made automatically by the movement of the reversing-lever L of the engine, which in this figure is shown as at the center and as connected by a wire with the axle of the locomotive, for use asa switch-arm with the fixed segments up, that are connected with the two poles of the battery by wires n and p, or, more exactly, with the sides of the batteryreversing device. In the position shown the lever'L overlaps the endof the piece a, and remains in contact with that piece when moved to drive the engine forward; but whenever the reversing-lever is drawn back to change the running-direction the lever passes upon the segment}; and the battery is reversed. The same change might be efi'ected by any devices of suitable character. The sides of the reversing-switch will be marked up and down, or with equivalent marks, and when the engine is headed up the road the handle of the reversing-switch will be turned to the up side and locked; but when the engine is turned upon the track the handle should be turned over to the down side.

In Fig. 1 the circuit is from conductor c by wire 0 to bell W, thence to segment n, lever L, and to the axle; and from conductor d by wire d to bell IV, and by wire (Z to the plate of the reversing device, thence through the arm a to the battery, to the arm I) to the but ton i, thence by wire a to the segmentn. Both signaling-instruments are constructed and adj ustcd to give a signal when the current from one battery passes through their magnets. The instrument W has a second magnet arranged to give an additional signal, either audible or visible, when acted upon by two batteries, or the same result may be obtained by using one magnet with a second armature, so adjusted as to respond only to the stronger current.

In the diagrams, Figs. 3 and 4, the lines marked 0 represent the axles of the engine, the wheels of which are in contact with the rails. Supposing two engines to come into sucha position that only one break in the con ductors c d intervenes, the action is as follows: The line marked 2, Fig. 4, represents the forward engine, and the line marked 1 the engine following; The current in this case passes from the copper pole of the battery on engine No. 1, through the instrument NW of that engine to conductor d, by cross-connection c to conductor 0, through instrument WV of engine N o. 2, and by the middle connection to the axle of engine No. 2, thence by wheels and rails to wheels and axles of engine N o. 1, and by the middle connection to the zinc pole of the battery of engine No. 1, thus completing the circuit to the bell IV of the engine N o. 1.

By the ringing of the bell WV of engine No. 1 danger ahead is indicated, and by the ringing of the bell W of engine No. 2 the warning of danger behind is given. I remark that the instrument WV always warns of danger from the directionof the cow-catcher, while instrument W warns of danger from the direction of the tender, no matter whether the engine be running head forward or backing. This might be made plainer by having an arrow or index-hand placed over each instrument, pointing in the direction of the danger. These two engines Nos. 1 and 2, Fig. 4, are represented as moving in the same direction. Now, supposing two engines are moving in opposite directions, as represented at 3 and 4, Fig. 4, the operation is as follows: The current passes from the copper pole of the battery of engine N o. 4 by middle contact to the axle, thence by wheels and rails to the wheels and axle of engine No. 8, thence by middle and left-hand connecting-wires n and c of that engine through instrument \V to conductor d, cross-connection c, and conductor c, to and through the instrument V of engine No. .4, and back to the battery, thus completing the circuit and giving the warnings as above. In case of opposing engines, as Nos. 2 and 3, Fig. 4, the current passes from the copper pole of the battery of engine No. 2, through instrument V to conductor (1 by the cross-connection to conductor 0, to instrument V of engine N o. 3, through the battery thereon and the middle connection to the axle and wheels of engine No. 3, thence by the rails to the wheels and axle of engine No. 2, and by the middle connection to the' zinc pole of the battery of that engine, thus completing the circuitwith two batteries comsignals. This is illustrated in Fi 5 by em gines' No. 1 and No. 2. As soon as both strike the respective ends of conductors c and d, the current passes from the copper pole of the battery of engine No. 1, through its instrument W to conductor cl, to instrument W of engine No. 2, through the middle connection, axle, and wheels of engine No. 2,'by the rails to the wheels and axles of engine No. 1, and by the middle connection back to the zinc pole of the battery, thus completing the circuit and warning both ehgines. At the same time the current from the copper pole of the battery of engine No. 2 passes through the middle connection, axle, and wheels, and by the rails to the wheels and axle of en gine No.1, and through the middle connection to the instrument WV, thence by the lefthand connection to the conductor 0, and by the wire d to the instrument V of engine No. 2, back to the zinc pole of its battery, thus completing the second circuit and warning both engines. It will be seen that in this peculiar position both engines are warned by a special signal, consisting of a simultaneous alarm on both instruments, but without theextra signal of instrument W If, now, by a possibility another engine following one of these, as represented at 3 in Fig. 5, should come within warning distance, the action would be to warn engine No. 3 of danger ahead in the usual manner; but on engine No. 2 the signal would cease on instrument V. This may be seen from the action of the current, as follows: It is. to be remembered that a current from the battery of engine No.

'1 is already passing through instrument W of engine No. 2 from left to right. Vhen engine No. 3 comes upon the block, the current passes from the copper pole of its battery through the middle connection, axle, and wheels, by the rails to the wheels and axle of engine No. 2, thence by the middle connection through instru ent WV, of engine No. 2 from right to left, through the conductor (1,

by the cross-connection c, to the instrument NV of engine No. 3, back to the zincpole of the battery, thus completingrthepircuit and warning engine No. 3 by the instrument WV but as the instrument WV on engine No. 2 is now acted upon by equal opposing currents, its signal ceases, that of W still continues; but as it lacks the supplementary or extra cur rent feature, the driver may know just the situation of affairs atonce. If, now, engine No. 1 were to back off down the track, the danger ahead signal upon WV of No. 2 would cease until No. 1 had passed the section-brake or cross-connection, when itwould be renewed. When No. 1 moved backward, W on No. 2 would again commence to signal danger behind on engine No. 2, its silence up to this time having already warned of the presence of engine No. 3. Thesevaririous signals, although apparently complicated, may be readily understood by a brief set of instructions; but, if desired, a special code for communication and telephone or telegraph instruments .may be provided upon the engines. 1

There is one other possible situation not yet mentioned illustrated byengine No. 4 in Fig. 5, where such engine, though heading up the road, is backing down, and thereby becomes a follower of engine No. 8, so that the battery upon engine No. 4 is switched into the position occupied by that of an engine headed down, this switching having been done automatically at the moment the reversing-lever was moved to change the running" direction. In case an alarm should sound while the engine was standing on the track, the driver could easily inform the other that his own engine was stationary by moving the reversing-lever back and forth two. or three times, which would have the effect of giving an intermittent signal.

We do not limit ourselves to the details of construction specified in -the signal-instru ments, circuit-closing device, or conductors, as they may be varied within the scope of our invention. The conductors ad, instead of being placed upon the ground, may be strung upon posts at the side of the track.

Our invention contemplates the use, as a source of electric power, of batteries of any known character, storage-cells, or dynamomachines alone or combined.

The apparatus may be also arranged to prevent danger from open draws in, bridges. This can be effected by a simple arrangement of the draw fixings, whereby on the draw be ing opened the rail or rails shall be put into electrical contact with conductor a or (2, so that if an engine should come upon that section of c d a warning would be given. By inserting an instrument in circuit at the draw the keeper could receive warning of the approach of an engine, and could then give any usual signal to the engine.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is v 1. The paddle 4 wheel contacts f, having sharp edges, in combination with the supporting-frames S, hingedat f, and insulated from the upper frames, R, as shown and described.

2. The combination on locomotives with the instruments WV W and circuit-closers f, of the lever L, connected to the axle, segments'n p, and connections a 12, substantially as described, for bringing these instruments in direct connection with the axle, as set forth.

JAMES C. UPHAM. JOHN P. ROGERS.

IIO 

